Length overall, often abbreviated as (LOA, o/a, o.a. or oa) refers to the maximum length of a vessel from the two points on the hull measured perpendicular to the waterline.
Length overall is commonly used to indicate maximum length of a vessel. LOA is the most commonly used way of expressing the size of a boat, and is also used for calculating the cost of a marina berth[1] (for example, £2.50 per metre LOA).
As said, LOA often means length of the hull.[2] For sailing ships this may exclude the bowsprit and other fittings added to the hull. This is how some racing boats and tall ships use the term LOA.[3] However, other sources may include bowsprits in LOA.[4][5][6] Confusingly, LOA has different meanings.[7][8] "Sparred length", "Total length including bowsprit", "Mooring length" and "LOA including bowsprit" are other expressions that might indicate the full length of a sailing ship.
In ISO 8666 for small boats, cited by a product description,[9] there is a definition of LOH, length of hull,[10] that measures shorter than LOA.
Another measure of length is LWL (loaded waterline length) which is more useful in assessing a vessel's performance. In some cases (particularly old yachts or vessels with bowsprits) LWL can be considerably shorter than LOA.
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